"Neurotypical" (or "NT") is a neologism used to describe people whose neurological development and state are consistent with what most people would perceive as normal in their ability to process linguistic information and social cues.^[1] While originally coined among the autistic community as a label for non-autistic persons,^[2] the concept was later adopted by both the neurodiversity movement and the scientific community.^[3][4][5] In the United Kingdom, the National Autistic Society recommends the use of the term in its advice to journalists.^[6] A neologism (Greek νεολογισμός [neologismos], from νέος [neos] new + λόγος [logos] word, speech, discourse + suffix -ισμός [-ismos] -ism) is a word, term, or phrase which has been recently created (coined) — often to apply to new concepts, to synthesize pre-existing concepts, or to make older terminology sound more contemporary. ... Neurology is a branch of medicine dealing with disorders of the central and peripheral nervous systems. ... In behavior, normal means not deviating very much from the average. ... Autistic communities are groups of people who have been diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum, or who have self-identified as autistic, along with family members and other supporters. ... A boy with autism and his mother Autism refers to a spectrum of disorders, and lies somewhere under the umbrella of a greater encompassing spectrum, that of pervasive developmental disorders that involve the functioning of the brain. ... Neurodiversity is an idea that asserts that atypical (neurodivergent) neurological wiring is a normal human difference that is to be tolerated and respected as any other human difference. ... The National Autistic Society (NAS) is the United Kingdoms most prominent autism-related charity. ...

The term is sometimes used sarcastically, as in Autistics.Org's tongue-in-cheek "Institute for the Study of the Neurologically Typical."^[7] Sarcasm is the making of remarks intended to mock the person referred to (who is normally the person addressed), a situation or thing. ...

References

1. ^ Cashin, Andrew, "Two Terms-One Meaning: The Conundrum of Contemporary Nomenclature in Autism" Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing, Aug 2006, viewed Feb. 27, 2007
2. ^ "A note about language and abbreviations", Jim Sinclair. Accessed 4 March 2007
3. ^ SHare DJ, Jones S, Evershed K., "A comparative study of circadian rhythm functioning and sleep in people with Asperger syndrome" Autism 10 (6): 565-575 Nov 2006
4. ^ O'Connor K, Hamm JP, Kirk IJ, "The neurophysiological correlates of face processing in adults and children with Asperger's syndrome" Brain and Cognition 59 (1): 82-95 Oct. 2005
5. ^ Myles BS, Huggins A, Rome-Lake M, et al., "Written language profile of children and youth with Asperger syndrome: From research to practice" Education and Training in Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities 38 (4): 362-369, Dec. 2003
6. ^ "What to say (and not to say) about autism", National Autistic Society
7. ^ "Institute for the Study of the Neurologically Typical", Autistics.org. Accessed 4 March 2007

The National Autistic Society (NAS) is the United Kingdoms most prominent autism-related charity. ...

See also

• Autism rights movement
• Asperger's Syndrome
• Neurodiversity